Then go and read her other posts. This is truly what is happening in Syria right now, from this woman's perspective. For some reason, I find it much different than a lot of what I've heard in the media...surprise surprise.

Goddess Bless them and keep them safe. May their dreams of living without repression come to pass.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to those in America, but this is an insane year for tornadoes.

Talk about stating the obvious, I'm sure.

The weather here, although less deadly, is just as insane. As I write this, sanding trucks have been called out to a white-out condition blizzard 40 minutes (ish) to the south of me. People are going off the road, and getting stranded.

The current weather system up here is just getting started, as we are expected to still get storms for a few more days. The weather it in the Southern United States does seem to be clearing, but so much damage has already been done.

The last report I heard about 30 minutes ago put the numbers at 202 dead in six states. Chances are that the death toll will still rise due to the flooding now happening in several states.

I've always been interested in tornadoes. For many years, when I was younger, it was my dream to be a tornado chaser. I think that they are beautiful examples of the power that is held within nature. That doesn't mean they aren't deadly, and my heart goes out to all of those who have lost to someone or who have been affected by this storm system.

Today, as so many people are reeling from the devastation of the past few days, let's all take a moment to think of them. Send them good thoughts and energy, light a candle for them, and keep them in your prayers.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Something that pagan bloggers need to consider that may be different from other bloggers is the treatment of spammers. Especially when those spammers are also pagans.

Harming none is the most basic tenant of Wicca, and of many other paths. So how do you define harm?

An action which causes others to be inconvenienced in a way that makes them feel harmed. As in so much that we do, it is both our intention and the result that matters. If someone starts spamming another persons blog with links, products, or otherwise, what is the proper course of action? To look at it from the other side, this person might think that this is the only way they can get word out there about their product.

We all grew up with the 3 strikes and you are out rule. That was great for when we were kids, and it took us a few times to figure out WHY a certain rule was there. As adults, one warning should be enough. We know now that there are reasons behind things, and if we don't see the reason that we should just ask why. We are above rules, because we should have formed our own ethics by now. Those with ethics don't need rules, because they know (and accept) the reasons behind the rules.

One warning is all I will give spammers. It will stay up under the latest "comment" for a couple of days, then all posts of spam from that person will be deleted. As adults, they should know better. If you spam, under your comment I will give you a warning.

Keep in mind, if you want to share a link with me share it! Even if it's your own product. I'm talking about those who share their link on multiple posts, with almost the same wording on each.

What do you think about spamming from a Pagan viewpoint? Unfortunately, the few rotten apples out there are forcing me to turn on the moderation. What do you do for your own spammers?

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

This question has been asked for years, and it was recently asked again on a Facebook page yesterday. I didn't feel like I should comment, as so many people we already giving their opinions I felt that mine would be lost among them.

So I'm answering it here. Of course this is my opinion, I hope you find it favorable. If not, it's still mine!

I think initiation is a key part of Wicca. Wicca originated as an initiatory religion, and I think that initiation is an intrinsic part of it. However, I still think that while one should be initiated, I think self initiations are fine.

So much of what we do has to do with feeling it. If we feel we are Wiccan, who has the right to tell us otherwise? I was never initiated in a coven. I did a self dedication when I was 13, and when I was 15 I did a self initiation. I haven't looked back since, and though at this time in my life I am going through the degree initiations with a coven, it doesn't mean that any other way is invalid.

I do think that it's important for all Wiccans to go through at least the first degree, or something similar. Not for the fact that it is the first degree, but for the level of learning within it. We should all be so familiar with our craft. The degree system is a wonderful thing for the amount of learning involved. I can't say for more than the first degree, because that's where I am, but I am cautiously looking forward to the other degrees. Learning is part of what we do, and if we stop learning, we become stagnant.

But back to topic, the initiation is, I think, key to what makes us Wiccan. Whether we do it ourselves in a ritual, only in our hearts, or formally in a coven. What matters is that we affirm with the Goddess that this is our choice, we are working towards our better selves, and we are ALL magickal beings, children of nature, who are one with it. With initiation, we are taking those steps towards our higher selves, whom we strive to become throughout our lives.

I mean, we do the same thing with our mundane lives. We have initiations in our mundane lives to the next stage of life, although perhaps we don't think of them that way.

The first day of school. 13th birthday, a Sweet 16. Graduation. 18 or 21st birthday, depending on the age of majority where you life. 30th, 40th, and 50th birthdays. Weddings, births of children. Each portion of our mundane life that changes, we have a ritual of initiation for it. After those rituals, most of us feel different, even if it is in a way which we cannot articulate. Some mornings, I just wake up and feel older. Like somehow, overnight, I've learned more. Or maybe what I've learned has just sunk in. I've never known anyone else to feel that way though, so it may just be me!

That said, if I meet someone who says they are Wicca, I'm not going to ask how or if they have been imitated. If you feel you're Wiccan, you are.

Do you think one needs to be initiated? What kind of initiation do you consider valid?

Monday, April 25, 2011

In searching for a new Beltane Ritual to tweak, I was struck once again by the ridiculousness of some of our Rituals. I don't think the rituals themselves are ridiculous, of course. If I did, I wouldn't be here! It is the utter complexity of these rituals that I find ridiculous.

When reading some of the Rituals I've found (and not just for Beltane!), I've not thought of Wicca but of the elaborate Catholic Mass. And there really is nothing wrong with that, if you like that sort of thing. To me, Wicca isn't supposed to be like that though. If we call ourselves a nature religion, we need to be true to that. Nature doesn't try to BE, it simply IS. I think we need to take that lesson into ourselves, both in our everyday life and in practicing our craft. It's a mistake that most new comers to Wicca make. I made it myself.

One doesn't need to TRY to be a witch, making it complex with the hope to impress. When we believe, we simply are. We don't need to try. Rituals should be an act of honoring the Gods, no matter how complex or simple. Complexity is fine...as long as you truly want your ritual to be that way. If inwardly you sigh with every Sabbat that comes around, lamenting having to go and get out "the GOOD candles" and the special Altar cloth, maybe you're rituals are a little too complex. How are you honoring the Gods if you're not enjoying yourself?

The Charge of the Goddess States:

Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth,
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.
Therefore, let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence with in you.

So why force ourselves to have complex ritual if we don't enjoy it? Rituals can be done everyday, in the few minutes it takes to say a chant while watering your flowers. Putting a little extra love in your homemade cookies for when the kids come home from school. No matter what you do, if you put love and joy into it, it's a Ritual the Goddess will enjoy. Dancing in a rainstorm becomes a sacred act.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

As per usual, here comes a ritual for you that is simple and meaningful, perfect to do with children or by yourself!

~~~~~~

What you will need:

-A white candle
-A Red Candle (or whichever colour you associate with fertility) for each person.
-A jar with a lid
-Slips of paper
-pens or pencils
-Normal ritual supplies
-For children, (especially young ones!) you can give them yarn, string or ribbon to play with, and practice braiding. If you have children that are old enough, you can have them light their own candles.

"Goddess, foster in us all signs of growth, in all ways. Let our dreams find fertile ground."

Give everyone a couple of slips of paper and a pen. On the pieces of paper you should write goals for the year; things you want to nurture into fruition. One goal per piece of paper. Don't help the little ones! Let them scribble-write on the paper themselves. If you want to write a goal for a small child on a different piece of paper, you can absolutely do so!

Open the jar. One at a time, everyone should drop their goals into the jar, saying,

"These are the seeds of dreams. As I nurture them, let them find fertile ground."

Close the jar. Take the white candle, and from it, light your red candle. Everyone who can should light their own candles. Once all the candles are lit, say:

"As the air nurtures the flame, so to do we nurture our dreams. Thoughts become ideas, ideas become dreams, dreams become goals, and goals become reality. Goddess and God, help us to nurture our goals."

Let wax from each of the red candles drip on the lid of the jar, symbolizing the pouring of fertile energy onto your goals. You can then sit and visualize on your goals for a few minutes, or for as long as any children around will let you. You can then do any other magick you wish, or simple close the ritual.

~~~~~~

This is a time of year when I always like to take stock of my life. What goals do I have now, that I will need to start working toward? What will I have to change about my life now, to achieve a goal for later? One "yes" can mean saying no dozens of times. If you say you have a goal but don't work toward it, is it really a goal? You can say, "My goal is to get a raise by the end of 6 months". You are saying Yes to your goal. That may mean you have to say no to a lot of other things; going out for drinks with friends because you need to finish a report, watching that favorite TV show because you have to work late one or two days a week. It's all about what you say yes to; if you choose to go out with friends or watch your TV show instead, then obviously you aren't saying yes to your goal! This is true in so many areas of our lives, and we really have to watch how we live, and choose to nurture what we truly want, instead of living on auto-pilot.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

You know, there is a growing epidemic affecting children (and their parents). This epidemic, first brought on (to my knowledge) by people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Yes, I'm spelling their whole names. If you don't know them personally, you shouldn't pretend to.

This epidemic is then taken a step further by parents, (and some grandparents, *ahem) who proceed to buy clothing for their kids that allude to these (and more recent) women/girls who like the "sexy" look.

It's one thing for a woman to look sexy. It's another thing to look slutty, and it's another thing completely to market slutty clothing towards pre-teen kids.

This article on CNN is fabulous. Parents, don't dress your kids like tramps is honest and real, and my first reaction? "Finally!!" Maybe parents dress their kids like that so because they want the kids to be popular, but heck. I'd rather my daughter be popular on her own merit than because she looks a certain way. I certainly don't remember (please say I didn't!) dressing "sexy" like that when I was young. When I was 6, 7, or 8 years old I think I was more concerned with reading and playing than with clothes, or how they made me look. If anything, I think I was the opposite, with baggy shirts and backwards hats. (I have a picture somewhere, complete with flannel over-shirt. I'll show you sometime.) Even if I had wanted to dress in "sexy" clothes at that age, I'm fairly sure my parents wouldn't have let me. I sure as heck am not going to let Brianna dress like that.

In the article, they state that "In 2007, the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls issued a report linking early sexualization with three of the most common mental-health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression".

What does that say for what we are doing to our kids?

All you have to do is watch one episode of "Toddlers and Tiaras" on TLC to see how sexual some women portray their young daughters (and in some cases, sons!). We worry about the rise in crimes on children, and wonder why these people are taking our kids! Maybe they wouldn't see kids as sexual beings if the parents didn't dress them as such.

It's really hard for me to stop writing on this topic, because it is so close to my heart. Someone in our family (no name calling) is already buying clothes like this, "For Brianna to wear in a few years!".

Monday, April 18, 2011

The Gods of Beltane. Covering areas from fertility and family to new spring growth and love, they are the Gods and Goddesses of rebirth and renewal. Goddesses are in their virgin or young mother aspect, and Gods are lovers or young fathers. The Horned God, of course, as well as Pan, Dionysus and his Roman aspect Bacchus, Kokopelli, and Bes, are all honored at Beltane. Goddesses honored are Hera, Flora, Artemis and Diana, and Aphrodite. Of course these are not complete lists, they are just meant to give example.

My own Rendition of Kokopelli.

One my my favorite Gods to honor at this time is Kokopelli, the flute player. Kokopelli is traditionally a fertility god among the Hopi, and is viewed differently in different traditions. Some legends state that in his humped back he carries seeds, and other legends say he carries unborn babies which he hands out to women. Either way, it is obvious that he is a god of fertility and celebration. We honor him by distributing seed to the birds, and a great family activity at Beltane would be to build (or just buy and paint) a bird feeder! Kokopelli has always been associated with many different animals, birds only being one kind of them. Of course, they are the easiest animals for us to interact with in this modern age.

As for Goddesses, I always honor Hera and Freya. It may seem like a strange combination, but it works for me. Freya is (among other things of course) a Goddess of Abundance and Fertility. Hera, depicted often holding a pomegranate, is an obvious Goddess of fertility. Did you know that for many years, English kings ate pomegranates before having "relations"? Pomegranates have for centuries been used as an aid to fertility and libido.

Which Gods and Goddesses do you honor at Beltane? How do you honor them?

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Most of the time I am definitely of the opinion that we shouldn't mess with the weather. One little change here can spark infinite changes elsewhere, as we all know. Or should know.

Regardless, there can be days where I think about changing my mind. Like today, for instance! Yesterday was a gorgeous day. A going out without a sweater kind of day, I think it got up to +8. Celsius, of course. The ground was nice and dry, you could see the grass coming back. I was debating getting out my sandals.

Today?

Yep, that's what we woke up to. It only stopped snowing a couple hours ago, we got about half a foot. Needless to say, it was tempting.

I know some people that use the energy in the weather to help put more power into their rituals and other work. I myself have no issue influencing the weather on occasion, more of an asking, "Hey, drop that rain over there, please!" instead of trying to control it. I've found that most people I've known who try to control and manipulate the weather fail at it, and instead bring about worse weather.
Do you use weather magick? How do you feel about controlling the weather?

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

This year, Brianna is old enough to know what's going on. She pays attention to her surroundings, and of course wants to touch and eat everything she sees. It makes going for walks much more difficult, but much more fun, as well. It's also a great opportunity to begin showing her little bits of nature, and teaching her to see the beauty and divine within. I know she won't be able to grasp much yet, but foundations are built little by little.

She seems to really love pine cones. There is one sitting on my desk right now, from the last time my Dad came over and we all went for a walk. It's got a couple tine pieces missing out of it; I'm hoping it was like that when we picked it up instead of Brianna having tasted it.

Have you ever looked at a pine cone? Really looked? Each piece perfectly interlocks, and the colors! From beige to roan to brown, all on one little "shingle". You can feel the energy of it. I don't know that Brianna can feel that energy yet, but appreciation and interest are the first steps.

Trying to eat it is showing interest, right?

On a walk last year.

We also make a point of picking something up pretty much every walk we go on. We have a feather, a few rocks and a bunch of flowers from last year, when she was still too little to eat them. We're pressing the flowers, so she can have a little box for all of her treasures we get on walks someday. Every little piece of nature she can grow up with and appreciate, the easier it will be later on to teach her to see the divine in nature. I want to have a box for each season, so eventually we can show her the different elements in each season as well.

What do you do or will do with your kids to show them nature? What did you do when you were young?

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

As we come upon the season of Spring and the Sabbat of Beltane, I'm sure that most of us are slowly starting to notice the budding trees and the grass beginning to renew itself. I'm sure that any day now the last of our snow will melt, we've still got a pretty good little bank in the back yard. Those of us who celebrate it are probably starting to plan our Beltane festivities, and no matter how we end up celebrating we all will be celebrating the same thing. Not many of us have room for a Maypole, let alone are able to have a bonfire.

Canola Fields in Alberta. Forgive the shadow of my car!

This year, we will be celebrating Beltane by starting our first herb garden! I have an inexplicably purple thumb. I'm a kitchen witch and a hearth witch, not a green witch! We are going to be buying these little bundles at our local hardware store that you let grow almost hydroponically for the first couple weeks, then you transplant into the ground or pots. Perfect for someone like me, and perfect for Beltane.

Fertility of the crops was of utmost importance in times past, and while most of us don't grow our own crops any longer fertility is still important to us. We can still celebrate fertility at Beltane, just a different kind. We need fertility in our lives to nurture our dreams, and without finding that fertile ground within ourselves we can never make our goals come to fruition. We need that fertile ground in our lives to raise our children in, and to nurture our relationships with spouse, friend and family.

How will you be celebrating Beltane? How do you include Beltane's fertility in your life?

Monday, April 11, 2011

While Brianna went (with Ducky) to my parent's house for the night on Saturday, Sean and I got to do grown up things! Like watch a horror movie and go out for lunch. We slept in...and we went shopping and bought more toys for Brianna.

Two new dinosaurs, which after much discussion of prairie oysters and the big bopper, we finally gave proper names to.

Meet Bob and Doug.

Bob and Doug

Ducky, Bob, and Doug all seemed to get along great. So they went to visit Scaredy Squirrel.

Scaredy Squirrel.

They though Scaredy was so awesome.

They decided to eat him.

Om nom nom.

Poor Scaredy. But Bob and Doug were hungry, eh?

Take off, Eh, Bob?

Most Canadians (and some Americans) reading this will know who Bob and Doug are. For the rest of you, here's a clip:

I have a post for Beltane coming tomorrow, anything anyone wants to see covered?

Thursday, April 7, 2011

When we take the time to make things, whether with our kids or by ourselves, do we realize what we are putting into it? The very act of creation is sacred to so many Gods and Goddesses, and I think we oftentimes fail to see that we create things ourselves every day.

When we create something, it embodies us. It is us, for that time. Macaroni art with the kids or crocheting a scarf for a Yule gift, for that time that we are focused on creation we know some small part of what the Gods and Goddesses that shaped our lives and world were feeling. The utter joy of creating something with our own hands.

I think we could all take it a step further, though. For me, at least, when I crochet I can do it mindlessly. I've been doing it for so many years now that I don't have to think at all when doing my most common stitches. When I make things for a reason though...for a gift, or for my Etsy store, I concentrate much more. And more than concentration, I put joy, happiness and hope into each item I make. When someone holds or uses something that I've created, I want them to feel uplifted.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Hello, all! Nice to see everyone again. Over the last week, I've been making some new things for my Etsy store, as well as just relaxing a dealing with the aftermath of crazy neighbors.

In regards to the neighbors, we got a phone call to tell us that the neighbors have indeed been charged, and ticketed, so that was fabulous. It's been a wonderful week and a half of quiet. I never really realized how nice quiet is.

Thanks to all the wonderful new followers who have found me over the past week, not quite sure how that happened but I'm glad of it! I can't wait to have more people commenting, I love reading all of your comments!

So, I'll begin regular posting again tomorrow. I will still be taking weekends off, though. Over the last week I had a guest post up over at Rainy of the Dark that I don't even remember when I wrote! So check that one out, it's one of my favorites.